


To more oceans with you

by trbjihoon



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Everything Everything au, M/M, TBS_soonhoon, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, soonhoonfest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-03
Updated: 2019-02-03
Packaged: 2019-10-21 08:59:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17639747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trbjihoon/pseuds/trbjihoon
Summary: Jihoon dreams of seeing the ocean someday and falls for the boy with his heart as wide as the ocean instead.Alternatively: An Everything, Everything au





	To more oceans with you

**Author's Note:**

> hello!!! this is my first time participating in a fest so hopefully i’m doing alright >:( and this au might be a lil bad because i had a writer’s block but i had to complete this please forgive me for any errors!!! 
> 
> chosen prompt: Everything, Everything

Everything, Everything!au

_ according to the film _

 

Feeling a heavy weight on him, Jihoon groans exasperatedly and he attempts to shove the body off him. A loud thud comes shortly after and the boy yawns, gazing towards the direction which the body rolled off. 

 

“Screw you, Ji,” Seungcheol’s head appears from the side of the bed, face scrunched up in a scowl, Jihoon laughs at his poor friend, before rolling off of the bed and safely landing on the elder’s torso. The two began to have a scuffle for a few moments before Seungcheol admits defeat and gets off the floor.

 

“Your mum should be ending her shift soon, you should prepare for the check-up. Get breakfast,” Seungcheol suggests, tugging on Jihoon’s wrist. The pair leaves the room, being greeted by Jihoon’s personal caretaker as she bustles about the kitchen. A pot of stew is boiling at the stove and the freshly cooked rice is already neatly placed on the table, alongside the cutlery. 

 

Jihoon smacks his lips in wonder while Seungcheol busies himself with helping the elder with the remaining dishes. Soon after, Jihoon digs into the rice and meat on the table, slowly relishing in every chew of his meal.

 

“Hey Seungcheol! No school today?” Jihoon’s mother’s voice rings down the hallway while a few beeps sounded. Seungcheol replies back with a ‘No, we have a day-off today.’ The lady herself then struts into the room, white cloak accompanying her doctor occupation.

 

“Jihoon, when you’re done eating, come look for me,” his mother called out, her hands already busy with her phone as she shoots back her few replies before flashing the people at the table with a tired smile.

 

__

 

“Your blood pressure is normal, heart rate as usual, nothing to worry about,” His mother takes down some notes into the report before slotting it back to her desk drawer. Jihoon nods, not really paying attention to what his mother is saying.

 

“-Make sure Seungcheol gets sterilised every now and then, can’t risk him spreading germs to you.” Jihoon’s mother continued, before tapping impatiently on her phone. Mindlessly murmuring a reply, Jihoon hates how his mother views his only friend as a threat to him, biting back a stark remark.

 

Jihoon has an immune disorder since birth after his father passed away due to a plane crash. So, Jihoon isn’t allowed put of the house as he is prone to catching illnesses easily. His mother has been taking care of him very cautiously, ensuring the boy doesn’t leave the house at all and the people who enter the house must go through a sterilisation process before they can go near Jihoon. The boy understands how his mother doesn’t want to take risks but he yearns for the feeling of the sea and the ringing laughter of others in his ears.

 

However, since Jihoon’s mother is a renowned doctor, she has been conducting daily check-ups to ensure that her son is always at the pink of health. No one has found the cure for his disorder yet but all Jihoon can do is stay at home and breathe in the choking odour of detergent of his clothes, wishing he isn’t this unfortunate in his next life.

 

He musters a grin at his mother before leaving the room.

 

__

 

Seungcheol had left after several persuasions from the younger as he still has overdue homework to complete and Jihoon does not want his friend getting reprimanded because of him. His bored eyes glance over the screen in front of him, an array of melodies spreaded out matched with a even bigger variety of rhythms. 

 

Hearing one of the samples and scowling in return, Jihoon immediately crosses out the current sample before continuing to browse through the other pieces, eliminating those that he dislikes. A loud blaring of car horns interrupted his line of thinking, causing Jihoon to scurry over to the window to gaze in curiosity at the family that just moved into the neighbouring house. A few squeals of excitement came from a boy with a warm laugh before another boy followed, black hair splayed across his sweaty forehead as he moved a few of the boxes into the house.

 

Amidst the heaving, the boy happens to look up and exchange eye contact with Jihoon as the shorter hurriedly darted his glance and fell back into his chair to stare at his composition screen. His heart is threatening to beat out of his chest as Jihoon swoons over how attractive his new neighbour is. When he gazes towards the mirror in his room, pink is dusted on his cheeks and Jihoon dreams about the bunched-up cheeks and the stunning smile.

 

Jihoon proceeds to mindlessly click on a few of his new compositions before groaning into his arms, his head lightly hitting the wooden table. The door bell rings, bringing him out of his misery as he sneakily scurried towards the walkway.

 

His ears are picking up parts of a conversation, Jihoon’s mother replying the people at the door sharply, declining an offer before choosing to shut the door. Disappointment, Jihoon trudges back to his room but the door bell rang again and he hears how his mother sighs in defeat.

 

“So, Mrs. Lee! Is your son available to talk?” Jihoon realises he is being mentioned, immediately returning to his original eavesdropping position. His eyes peak past the wall, fixing on the same neighbour, cheeks still beautifully intact and the neighbour being the epitome of perfection. Before Jihoon can swoon even further, his mother curtly grumbles a ‘No’ and the door is shut again.

 

__

 

When Jihoon returns to his room, he takes note of a constant knocking of a window, curiously darting his attention to the boy who was just looking for him furiously tapping on his own window. The short male giggles, sitting at the windowsill to give the other a brief nod.

 

The black-haired neighbour then snatches a book, marker scribbling across the page before lying the

paper on the window. Squinting, Jihoon attempts to decipher the writing, lips already brought up to a grin.

 

‘name’s soonyoung. r u busy?’

 

Jihoon picks up his marker from the table, writing his phone number on the window and he loves how Soonyoung endearingly stares at the numbers in confusion, brightening up after a few moments. As the shorter wipes the ink away from the window, a beep sounded from his phone.

 

soonyoung: hi, it’s soonyoung! r u possibly on house arrest?

 

jihoon: haha funny. i’m jihoon. thanks for trying to talk to me.

 

soonyoung: why can’t u leave the house? ur mum seems strict :/

 

jihoon: i’m sick, ‘can’t leave the house or i might die’ that kind of sick. but i’m used to it.

 

soonyoung: darn i really wanted to talk to u, i can never give up talking to a cute boy 

 

jihoon: don’t flatter me already, idiot. so what brings you here?

 

Amidst the texting, Jihoon gazes through the window to stare at the boy he is texting with. Soonyoung is lying on the bed, belly facing the ceiling and his legs are just peeking out from the edge of the bed. The shorter breaks out in a fond smile as he sends back a reply to Soonyoung’s messages.

 

__

  
  


soonyoung: maybe call me sometime, wanna hear how u sound like

 

As soon as Jihoon receives the text, he gingerly clicks on the ‘call’ button beside Soonyoung’s name. The call connects and all they hear is static and shuffling from Soonyoung rolling off his bed and Jihoon knows to meet him at the window.

 

“Hey,” Jihoon breathes out, eyes plastered on how Soonyoung breaks into a chummy smile and the both of them lock eyes.

 

“You sound beautiful, Jihoon,” Soonyoung murmurs, fingers pressing against the glass of the window as Jihoon feels the edge of his lips curl upwards, a warm feeling buzzing in his heart.

 

They continued to talk for ages, Jihoon finding out more about Soonyoung and vice versa, he reveals how much he wants to travel the world to meet all the scenic beauty he has never laid his eyes on and how much he wants to hear the sound of nature buzzing in his ears. Jihoon doesn’t notice how someone enters his room and Soonyoung hurriedly motions to him, Jihoon turning around unknowingly to meet his caretaker.

 

The elder chuckles softly, pretending to zip her lips and folds the strewn blanket of Jihoon’s bed before gently closing the door. Heaving a sigh of relief, Jihoon hears Soonyoung call for his name through the receiver of his phone.

 

“Hey Jihoon, you’re perfect.”

 

__

  
  


“Soonyoung, how does the ocean feel like?” Jihoon asks, body buried in the comfortable blanket as he rolls around on his bed in the blanket burrito. He steals a glance at his window to see the room empty, dejectedly returning to staring blankly at his phone screen. The contact picture is a badly photoshopped photograph of Jihoon and Soonyoung beside each other, the other insisting for them to have matching pictures to look at whenever they’re bored.

 

“Hm? It feels like freedom, Jihoon. The sense of being able to do whatever you want,” Soonyoung replies shortly after and Jihoon feels something click within himself, eyes still locked on the increasing digits on his phone when Soonyoung begins to talk about his sister and her weird antics.

 

__

 

“Jihoon, someone’s here for you,” his caretaker gently knocks on the door before opening it to greet a busy Jihoon who has headphones on. Jihoon turns around at the sound, tilting his head to show his confusion.

 

“You usually don’t inform me when Seungcheol’s here?” He questions, pausing his music piece when the caretaker laughs in response before entering the room and closing the door behind her.

 

“It’s someone you definitely want to see, he’s at the living room,” she decides to neaten Jihoon’s bed sheets, noticing how the said boy immediately jumps up from his seat when he hears her words and she fondly smiles to herself.

 

—

 

Jihoon doesn’t really know what to expect when he bolts down the stairs, two steps at a time to meet with a Soonyoung in the flesh. The boy is looking through Jihoon’s music albums and storybooks, fingers tracing the spine of each novel when he hears footsteps and turns around. To Jihoon’s surprise, Soonyoung is taller than what he expects and as the two took in the view of each other, Jihoon is the one to first break the silence.

 

“You’re taller than expected,” He giggles, eyes fixated on how Soonyoung’s cheeks are much more bunched up in real life and how the other’s newly-dyed blonde hair matches him so well. Jihoon wishes to have an opportunity to dye his hair as well. Noticing how Soonyoung blushes as soon as Jihoon finishes his sentence, Jihoon awkwardly plays with the stray thread of his sweater.

 

“You’re much prettier than expected,” Soonyoung responds many beats after and the shorter feels his cheeks burn up at the other’s words.

 

“If I went through the scary room with a lot of lights and spraying stuff, how close can I get to you?” The taller jokingly asks as he nervously motions towards the sterilisation room that Jihoon’s mother installed in the house since he was born. Biting back a wide grin, Jihoon runs and collides into Soonyoung’s arms, basking in the warmth of the other and how their heights perfectly match. The taller’s chin rests gently on Jihoon’s hair and Jihoon can feel how fast his own heart is palpitating.

 

When they break apart, Jihoon plays with Soonyoung’s fingers, looking up to stare at the taller in even closer proximity. With Soonyoung, Jihoon feels that he can conquer the world, his eyes are free to roam with the ocean and embrace the pure bliss of freedom. 

 

__

 

When Jihoon pulls up his most recent composing piece, he enjoys the therapeutic sound of beats and rhythms coming to life. The familiar body warmth from Soonyoung still radiates from him comfortingly and the small male smiles just at the thought of it.   
  
“What’s got the wonderful Lee Jihoon grinning like an idiot?” A voice interrupts his mesmerised thoughts and Jihoon feels his headphones being yanked away from his ears, his eyes soon coming face to face to his best friend, Seungcheol.   
  
Groaning, Jihoon snatches his headphones back to gingerly place it back to its original position before darting his attention back to his friend.   
  
“The neighbour is cute,” The shorter mutters, and he notices how Seungcheol perks up and literally drags Jihoon to the windowsill where Jihoon usually sits and stares at Soony- never mind. Biting back a telltale blush, he watches Seungcheol squint his eyes through the tinted glass to Soonyoung’s empty room.   
  
Soon after, the lights are switched on and a sleeveless Soonyoung plants himself on his bed. Jihoon takes in the wonderful sight of the other’s arms until his phone vibrates and he eagerly takes the phone.   
  
soonyoung <3: just had my workout, am exhausted :(   
  
jihoon: My friend is watching you through my window.   
  
Jihoon loves how Soonyoung suddenly pouts in confusion and looks up to see an overly curious Seungcheol accompanied with Jihoon who is wearing such a fond smile. The shorter waves in response to Soonyoung’s glance and he nudges Seungcheol to wave as well.   
  
“He’s cute, can I get his number?” His friend winks at Jihoon when Soonyoung beams brightly at the pair.    
  
“No,” Jihoon deadpans, jealousy brimming at his gut and he forces the feeling down. Seungcheol teases Jihoon about his response before rolling himself in Jihoon’s blankets and directing his attention to his phone.   
  
Jihoon stares back to the window to see Soonyoung still donning the same grin, his cheeks bunching up and Jihoon wonders if he can ever explore the world together with Soonyoung by his side.   
  
Pressing his palm against the window, Jihoon loves how the other does the same and the familiar warmth spreads through his body again, making him smile in comfort.   
  
soonyoung <3: i maybe miss u and ur tiny self a lot    
  
jihoon: I am not tiny.   
  
soonyoung <3: whatever u say <3!! maybe i’ll try sneaking into ur living room again   
  
jihoon: Maybe I can try meeting you instead.   
  
soonyoung <3: ji, are you crazy? what if you fall sick? we can’t take risks!   
  
Tears begin to form in his eyes and Jihoon looks up to see Soonyoung shaking his head furiously before typing again.   
  
soonyoung <3: i can never bear to lose you, okay?   
  


Maybe Jihoon can live in that comfort, knowing how important he is to someone.

  
—

 

Jihoon’s eyes take in the magnificent sights of the waves and how the distant cawing of seagulls can be heard over the gentle lushes of the sea. His palm feels oddly warm, Jihoon looking down to see his fingers intertwined with someone’s. Lifting his head and he suddenly meets his eyes with Soonyoung’s, who is staring intensely at him. The shorter darts his gaze back to the sea and he relishes in the tangy smell of the air, ignoring the heat growing on his cheeks.

 

Jihoon realises that Soonyoung’s head is softly leaning on his and Jihoon still appreciates their height difference, a soft grin on his face. They continue to watch the waves in silence until Soonyoung tugs his hand and before Jihoon has the chance to react, they both toe off their shoes and are amongst the gentle waves. Soonyoung bravely tosses a handful of water in Jihoon’s direction and the male feels the sudden cold water against his face. Biting back a loud shriek, Jihoon hurls water back at Soonyoung in defense.

 

In the midst of all the joyful screaming, Jihoon likes how he’s smiling so brightly without feeling that it’s forced and he stares at how stunning Soonyoung is right in front of his own eyes. Black hair plastered to his forehead, eyes squeezed in slits mirroring Jihoon’s and his clothes sticking to his body all at the right places. They stare at each other for a few seconds, Soonyoung’s arm wrapped around Jihoon’s waist. Before Jihoon can say anything, Soonyoung blurts out,”I wish I can kiss you.”

 

“Do it,” Jihoon whispers and he slowly inches towards the taller. As soon as his eyes close, he feels a soft pair of lips pressing against his. He indulges in the sweet taste of strawberries, a genuine mixture of feelings from himself. However, Jihoon’s chest starts to ache and he breaks the contact for air, before blacking out.

 

__

 

Jihoon opens his eyes to be greeted by his room ceiling. Hurriedly throwing off the blanket, he rushes to the windowsill and the still night scares him. The male looks at the drawn curtains of Soonyoung’s room and pulls out his phone, dialling the other’s number. After a few rings, a groggy voice comes into Jihoon’s speaker.

 

“Were you sleeping?” The shorter’s voice comes out as a timid question and Soonyoung’s voice noticeably changes, worry laced within his words. The drawn curtains are impulsively thrown open and Jihoon stares at Soonyoung. The past events flash past his eyes but he holds his gaze steady. With his palm once pressed against the glass and the other cradling his phone, Jihoon mouths a ‘I think I like you too much’ to Soonyoung before giving a forlorn smile. Jihoon believes that his dream does not mean anything but why does he fear the future so much? 

 

“I just couldn’t sleep. Is it okay if we talk for awhile?” Jihoon mutters into the receiver and forces Soonyoung to draw his curtains back closed before hearing the other settle in bed once again. The pair spend hours talking and Jihoon falls asleep to Soonyoung’s constant chattering and he feels the most rested he has ever felt in his entire life.

 

__

  
  


Jihoon wakes up to arms wrapped around his torso and his own head tucked underneath the other’s chin. The scent of the body seems oddly familiar and as Jihoon opens his eyes to meet with a guy that’s not Seungcheol. He has the instinct to shove the man off him before his sleep-muddled brain registers that the man’s Soonyoung.

 

A string of curses sound from the floor and Jihoon apologetically glances down at the poor boy on the floor. “What are you doing here, Soonyoung?” He asks.

 

“I was worried for you, you sounded unwell last night. So, I asked your caretaker to let me in,” Soonyoung sheepishly replies, untangling himself from the covers and hurling them jokingly at Jihoon. 

 

“Anyway… what happened last night? Bad dream?” Soonyoung questions and clambers back on the mattress. Jihoon feels the sudden body warmth and how his heart palpitates.

 

Nodding, Jihoon buries himself back in Soonyoung’s chest, feeling his arm drape around his shoulders and Jihoon falls back asleep to the soft sounds of Soonyoung’s breathing.

 

—

 

Opening his eyes once again, he’s greeted by his mother in the doorway with a flabbergasted expression. Jihoon feels Soonyoung’s weight shift beside his and he hurriedly tries to cover the body with his blanket. His mother’s gaze feels heavy on him as Jihoon says hello to his mother.

 

“Who’s that?” Jihoon’s mother whispered, her voice shaking out of fury. Jihoon feels his own face heat up as he angrily stood up.

 

“It’s Soonyoung, our neighbour.”

 

Jihoon’s mother had chased Soonyoung out of the house immediately, spouting out strings of warnings at Jihoon as the boy just sits and lets the words pour into his head. His mother even reprimands his caretaker when Jihoon returns to his room.

 

When he hears his mother firing his caretaker, Jihoon rushes out of the room to see his caretaker preparing to leave the house. He runs into her arms, tears brimming in his eyes and he feels her tighten the hug. Despite Jihoon’s constant persuasion, the caretaker still leaves and he’s left alone with his mother. Jihoon oddly feels even more lonely than he’s alone as his mother confiscates his phone and grounds him.

 

Curling up on his windowsill, Jihoon watches the blinds at Soonyoung’s room open to reveal the same chubby-cheeked boy. He smiles forlornly at the elder, scribbling his situation on paper to show Soonyoung. The other nods in response, retrieving his marker to write on the window.

 

‘it’s alright. i’m still here for you.’ Jihoon feels his heart warm at the sight of that and he uses his finger to trace a heart on the window. Soonyoung returns the action before blowing a kiss and Jihoon playfully catches it.

 

Returning to his untouched projects on his computer, Jihoon boredly swipes through all his works until he decides to begin on a new melody. Fingers tapping along to the rhythm, Jihoon busies himself with making music.

 

When it’s dinnertime and Jihoon’s mother leaves for work, another caretaker is introduced to Jihoon and he sighs internally. The caretaker is already strict enough to stand by the door at all times, ensuring no one enters.

 

Jihoon pokes at his food for a few moments before he hears constant tapping from the living room. He looks at his caretaker cautiously, relieved that she’s facing the direction of the door before tiptoeing to the living room.

 

He’s greeted by so many wonderful images of the ocean. On each picture, Jihoon looks fondly at the scrawly handwriting that labels the place’s name. When he stops at a picture, Jihoon realises Soonyoung is in the picture. Sunglasses are balanced on his head and Jihoon fondly grins at the image before the picture is suddenly plucked off to reveal a cheeky Soonyoung.

 

“You couldn’t see the ocean so I brought the oceans to you,” he mouths, placing his palm on the glass to see Jihoon do the same.

 

Though separated by a layer of glass, Jihoon feels so loved in this intimate moment and he’s determined to see the ocean with his own eyes and definitely with Soonyoung by his side.

 

—

 

When he hears sudden crashing of glass echoing from the house beside his, Jihoon knows something isn’t right. He pushes off the blankets from his body and runs to the windowsill to see Soonyoung’s tear-streaked cheeks and his sister wailing beside him. Soonyoung’s father is yelling at them at the driveway as Soonyoung protectively hugs his sister.

 

Feeling the fear rise in his chest, Jihoon runs down the stairs. Ignoring the constant calls from his caretaker and mother, Jihoon uses the burst of adrenaline to run past the sterilisation room and towards the door, which opens as he stands in front of it. The smell of nature intrudes into his nose and Jihoon feels the prickling of grass under his feet. The sun is shining on his pale skin amd Jihoon basks in the glow before darting his vision back at Soonyoung.

 

His father had driven away out of spite and Soonyoung’s sitting alone at the staircase of the front door, tears running down his cheeks. Jihoon runs into him, collapsing into his arms and exhaling loudly, his heart beating furiously against his chest. The cement feels foreign to under his feet but he hugs Soonyoung tightly.

 

“H-hey, Jihoon! What are you doing out here? Get back in!” Soonyoung yells after a moment, pulling Jihoon up from their seated position and tugging him to get back to his own house. Jihoon wipes the tears away from the taller’s cheeks before smiling.

 

“Wanted to see if you’re okay,” Jihoon whispers softly before he hears his mother and caretaker bolting out of the house in alarm. Soonyoung’s screaming out of worry, hands atill supporting Jihoon tightly and his eyes swollen from crying. The shorter runs his fingers through Soonyoung’s hair, arms wrapped tightly around the other’s torso.

 

Soonyoung’s worried eyes are plastered on his as Jihoon gradually feels faint. He whispers a string of uncoined words unconsciously towards Soonyoung before he sees his mother storming towards him. As soon as Jihoon’s mother reaches him, he blacks out.

 

—

 

Jihoon strangely, once again, wakes up in bed to meet with the white ceiling of his room. He notices the heart monitor beeping beside him and the caretaker who perks up when she sees Jihoon stirring.

 

When he’s awake enough, Jihoon feels the needle in his wrist and he tilts his head to see part of Soonyoung’s window. The blinds are shut and the lights are off, it’s still day time so Jihoon guesses the other is out.

 

His mother enters the room, busily tapping on her phone before Seungcheol bursts into the room. Being the loudest person Jihoon has ever seen, he runs to Jihoon’s side before staring at him oddly. “Are you crazy?” He whispers in alarm when he notices Jihoon’s mother is still busy, groaning when Jihoon nods in response.

 

Jihoon’s mother finally tinkers with the machines surrounding Jihoon when Seungcheol leaves after checking up on him. His mother continues to adjust the fluids before sitting down beside Jihoon’s bed, hand clasping Jihoon’s.

 

“Jihoon, my dear son. Don’t do that ever again,” His mother softly whispers, her voice on the verge of cracking as she brushes Jihoon’s knuckles with her fingers tenderly.

 

“I’ll let you talk to him with your phone but please do not run out by yourself ever again,” she says after a few moments of silence and Jihoon nods slowly.

 

His mother instructs him to rest as she leaves for work and Jihoon fumbles with his phone, immediately dialling Soonyoung’s number. The call goes into his voicemail so Jihoon decides to leave a message.

 

“Hey Soonyoung. Just wanted you to know I’m fine, call me back. I love you,” Jihoon speaks into the receiver and he lies back on the mattress, uncomfortably shifting until he falls back asleep.

 

The phone rings shrilly, waking Jihoon up from his slumber. Groaning, he blindly moves his hand towards the sound and brings the phone close to his face. ‘soonyoung <3’ flashes on the screen as Jihoon hurriedly accepts the call.

 

“I love you too,” Soonyoung’s voice rings through his ears, making Jihoon grin brightly. He finds out that the elder’s father got into a fight with his mother and Soonyoung tried to stop the fight by driving out to look for his father. Jihoon hears Soonyoung chide him for being careless, the younger playing with the stray wire of his phone charger.

 

“I wanted to make sure you’re okay,” Jihoon confesses, cheeks heating up at the thought of him hugging Soonyoung.

 

“I’m okay and you should focus on recovering! Go rest more,” Soonyoung scolds him once again, before forcing Jihoon to sleep.

 

—

 

Jihoon spends days after he’s fully recovered searching about the different oceans in Korea. He even comes by pretty seas from other countries as he gazes at them in awe. However, admist all the clicking, he stops adruptly at an ocean. The seas are sparkling and the sand looks so soft. There’s even a cliff that you can jump from. 

 

The male eagerly clicks into the article and reads everyone’s raves about it. “Jeju Island,” he whispers and the words feel nice on his tongue. Jihoon browses through the flight dates after creating a bank account.

 

He bounces on his seat when the tickets are shown on the screen. Jihoon texts Soonyoung to keep the 15th of January to 18th January free. When the other asks why, Jihoon smiles fondly at the screen.

 

‘Hello Mother. By the time you read this, I’ll be on my way to meet the wonders of the world. I know I’m a ticking time bomb but I would rather die experiencing than dreaming. I hope you can understand me. I love you, thank you for taking care of me, always.

  * Jihoon’



 

jihoon: Hey soonie, let’s go somewhere

jihoon: Mum told me i’m cured from my illness :)

 

soonyoung: really?!

 

Jihoon feels a bitter feeling creep up his throat as he blatantly lies to Soonyoung, fingers sending back a few heart emojis. He fills his luggage with his clothes, ready to sneak out as soon as his mother leaves the house for work and his caretaker goes out to shop for groceries.

 

The male folds the letter and places it at the foot of the bed, before carrying his backpack and running out of the house. 

 

He sees the nature greeting him warmly again, just like an embrace and most importantly, he lands his eyes on Soonyoung. The taller is leaning on his car and tapping on his phone, looking up immediately to beam brightly at Jihoon.

 

As Jihoon nears him, Soonyoung rests his chin gently on Jihoon’s head fondly. “I love you,” the taller whispers into his hand and Jihoon smiles.

 

They both collapse onto their seats in fits of giggles, as Soonyoung finally gulps down his final mouthful of bread. His cheeks are bunched up and Jihoon leans over to squeeze it affectionately. When the elder swats his arms away jokingly, Jihoon sticks out his tongue.

 

“How is it so far?” Soonyoung asks, already buckling himself up and leaning sideaways to help Jihoon do the same. His fingers brush past Jihoon’s thighs and the younger bites back the urge to hold the elder’s hand. 

 

“It’s fantastic,” Jihoon replies eagerly and he decides to go against all the odds, taking Soonyoung’s hand and intertwining their fingers together. A warm blush is dusted on both of their cheeks as their fingers stayed intertwined throughout the flight.

 

—

 

Soonyoung forces their luggages into the carboot before opening the door for Jihoon, gesturing the male to enter the car. Jihoon smacks the other while giggling, getting into the car and receiving a peck on his lips from Soonyoung.

 

Jihoon isn’t used to affections from the other at all, forcing his palms onto his cheeks to cover the growing heat as the other clambers onto his seat, revving the engine.

 

When Soonyoung starts to drive out of the area to the beaches, Jihoon gapes in wonder. The palm trees are swaying to the breeze and the sea… Jihoon tears up looking at the waves, his finger tracing along the curves on the car window.

 

He notices how Soonyoung suddenly rolls down the windows and Jihoon is greeted with a strong scent of salt and the blissful sound of the seagulls mixed with the waves splashing against the sand. Gingerly putting his head slightly out of the window, Jihoon basks in the breeze and smiles. He feels a hand pat his own comfortingly and Jihoon knows that everything will be alright.

 

As soon as they reached their lodging for the trip, Soonyoung jumps into the bedsheets and heaves a sigh of content. Jihoon looks at the boy burrowed in the covers, heart aching in adoration and fear when he remembers about his illness. He’s so afraid to let go of Soonyoung but he wishes he can spend so much more years with the other by his side.

 

He doesn’t realise he’s staring until Soonyoung appears in his vision, cheekily ruffling the shorter’s hair and placing a chaste kiss on his lips. Jihoon grins brightly before guiding Soonyoung back down for another kiss.

 

They finally get out of the room when Jihoon sees the afternoon sun leaking through the blinds and he stops Soonyoung from playing with their fingers, rising from his position on the bed and yawning. He plans to visit the ocean today, before his time is up.

 

—

 

Pushing down the rising guilt in his chest, Jihoon tugs on Soonyoung’s sleeve and forcefully drags the other to the shore. The gentle waves brush past their feet and Jihoon squats down to let his fingers feel the water. He feels Soonyoung follow him too and basks in the calm of the seas before the other taps him.

 

Soonyoung is holding onto a pink shell and after some scrubs, he removes the sand grains. Passing the younger the item, he plants a fond peck on his forehead. Jihoon wraps his fingers around the shell, observing the intricate designs on the object and he beams. He’s seen many of these shells online whenever he searches about the ocean but he swears the shell seems to be shining in Soonyoung’s palm.

 

“Cooooome on, Ji! I’ll jump first,” Soonyoung urges him, as the pair stand over a cliff. Jihoon feels his heart palpitate against his ribcage, his grip tightening around Soonyoung’s hand. He whines when the other releases his grip and Soonyoung pats Jihoon’s head while giggling.

 

Jihoon watches Soonyoung fall into the water, peering over the edge and he almost freaks out that Soonyoung is gone until the black haired male emerges and his smile is still as dazzling, hearty chuckles emitting from the other. Jihoon doesn’t notice he’s holding his breath until Soonyoung calls his name. 

 

He bites his lips and Jihoon feels himself falling. As soon as the water hits him, a pair of arms are supporting his body and Jihoon gasps for air, the adrenaline soaring through his veins. Soonyoung’s fingers are running through his hair and Jihoon feels tears brimming at his eyes out of joy.

 

The younger wraps a towel around his body, feeling Soonyoung’s warmth radiate from his own body and they both fall into the blankets, arms wrapped tightly around each other.

 

Jihoon stumbles into the toilet and grips the counter, his knuckles turning white from the added pressure. His heart is threatening to come out of his ribcage, the pain tearing at the seams. He slowly exhales, looking at his pale reflection in the mirror before he collapses onto the ground. His breaths are shallow and rushed but Jihoon keeps trying to breathe, the pain in his chest getting much more acute. The last thing he sees is Soonyoung bursting into the room as he blacks out.

 

—

 

He wakes up to the sterile scent of the hospital which oddly smells like his home. Wrinkling his nose in distaste, Jihoon tries to shift around on the bed until he sees the heart monitor beside him. 

 

The door suddenly opens and a doctor strolls in, clipboard in hand. He checks the monitor and Jihoon’s stats, wanting to leave before Jihoon stops him.

 

“Doctor, why am I not dead yet?” He whispers, his voice still hoarse from not speaking and after hearing his words, the doctor tilts his head in confusion.

 

“You’re just down with a fever. Nothing much. However, your immune system is oddly like a baby’s, that’s why you fell sick so easily,” The doctor tuts and scribbles on his board.

 

“Don’t I have immunodeficiency?” Jihoon probes further, fists balling up and he grips onto the duvet. Hearing the doctor laugh and deny his question, the male grimaces as he thinks of his mother.

 

As soon as the doctor leaves, Soonyoung bursts into the room. Jihoon winces at the bags hanging under Soonyoung’s eyes and he is engulfed by Soonyoung’s scent when the elder buries him in a tight embrace.

 

He’s mumbling incoherently into Jihoon’s hair and the younger hears the other crying. Jihoon panics and breaks apart to stare at Soonyoung. He hurriedly rubs off the tears rolling down his cheeks, smiling fondly.

 

“I’m fine, I’m alright. Don’t cry, okay?” Jihoon repeats to Soonyoung like a mantra and he softly pecks the other’s nose. He intertwines their fingers together and Jihoon waits for Soonyoung’s breaths to even out.

 

—

 

When they return home, Jihoon meets his mother at the doorstep. He’s holding onto a letter from the hospital regarding his ‘immunodeficiency’ and Jihoon feels his eyes soften at his mother’s tired gaze. His mother runs toward him and hugs Jihoon tightly. He feels himself stiffen but he lets his mother continue before breaking apart.

 

Jihoon passes the letter to her before stepping backwards. “I think I should go.” It hurts him to see his mother look in pain but he pats her softly before getting back onto the car.

 

Soonyoung is waiting for him, a bright smile donning on his face and Jihoon hopes he can see this for eternity.

 

“To more oceans together,” Jihoon turns his body to look at Soonyoung affectionately and he feels the familiar pair of lips on his own.

**Author's Note:**

> hmu [@twitter!](https://twitter.com/chuukwan)


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